SANTA PAWS 2016 — Looking Back at Another Great Event!

As always, Santa Paws Comes to Town was a lot of fun. It was wonderfully heart-warming to see familiar faces come back year after year because they love our seasonal display and the quality of our photos, plus our totally pawsh doggy and cat gift bags, chockfull of goodies thanks to Tisol Pet Supply & Nutrition, Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care, Modern Dog magazine and The Sequoia Restaurant Group. Siegel’s Bagels provided lots of scrumptious goodies for the humans to enjoy along with their hot mulled cider and RubyC and her amazing team at Modern Romance Photography once again did a fabulous job with their on-site photography and printing of the photos.

Our amazing volunteers went above and beyond the call of duty, taking great care of the hundreds of dogs, numerous cats, and five bunnies that came through to help us celebrate the true meaning of the holiday this season...GIVING! Our own adorable rescue Bichon gals, Tilly and Lily, made it out for a visit with Santa Paws again this year and helped us donate over $2,000 to Dhana Metta Rescue after the event.

The 16 raffle prize winners were:

• Tisol Dog Gift Baskets:
• Ailsa Brown & Penny the Yorkie, Brussels Griffon, Bichon Mix
• Selma Smith & Bart the Yorkie  
• Cherry Yeung & Ginger the ShihTzu  
• Ruth Huber & Walter the Bassett Hound
• Randy Jarvis & Ginger the Cockapoo
• Michelle Mansinho & Monster the Bulldog & Sarah the Retriever
• Shirley Earle & Molly the Golden Retriever 
• Cole Machlachlan & Daisy the Pitbull
• Christina Barbossa & Quintin the Pointer & Lilith the Saluki

Tisol Cat Gift Baskets:

• Jenn Cutnam & kitty
• Dave & Deb Eithier & Zoey
• Kate Rattray & kitty
• Jenn Lundgren & Mirch & Chance

Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care Prize Winners:

• Raquel Marek & Maggie the Multipoo won the $240 small dog basket, donated courtesy of Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care Services
• Teisha Focker & Max the Goldendoodle won the $270 large dog basket, donated courtesy of Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care Services 
• Vancouver Canucks Tickets Prize Winner:
• Mike Beck was the lucky winner of the Vancouver Canucks vs Arizona Coyotes Hockey Game tickets, generously donated by R.B. Logging Corporation.

See all the fun on our Love on a Leash Facebook page where you’ll see all the photos by Modern Romance who just knocked it right out of the park once again. They are an award-winning, full-time photo and video studio based in Vancouver, BC. “A team of passionate photographers and videographers; we shoot in photojournalist style with a traditional touch and love to capture anything from pets to weddings.”

Ruby is a photographer who loves dogs. Cedric loves them too, along with all kinds of other animals, and bugs. Both are avid scuba divers who love the aquatic flora and fauna. Having trained with military dogs, worked at a pet store, and volunteered for animal-welfare activities, they then embarked on the exciting and fulfilling world of pets and animal photography.

They not only have the patience to work with animals, but also an understanding of how to develop a connection with them, capturing their special moments in a good light.

Together with their devoted team, keen instincts, and an impeccable eye(s) for detail, they will ensure that you and your beloved pets look fabulous.

Santa PAWS is Coming to Town!

On November 26^th and 27^th Vancouver animal lovers can share in the true spirit of Christmas with their pets as they visit Santa and enjoy all the treats of a holiday wonderland.

Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care Services, Vancouver's premier overnight dog care company, along with Tisol Pet Supply & Nutrition, are presenting a canine friendly dog fundraiser. Santa Paws is Coming to Town on Saturday and Sunday, November 26th and 27th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Tisol Pet Supply & Nutrition Store on Grandview Highway in Vancouver. 

Vancouver Pet photographer, RubyC, has graciously donated her time and will be on hand taking professional portraits of beloved pets with Santa Claus himself, amid a winter wonderland backdrop, complete with festive holiday décor and a pooch friendly Santa on his red and gold throne. 

Both days will feature delectable holiday baked goods courtesy of Siegel’s Bagels along with hot mulled cider for the humans and lots of doggy treats and socialization for the pooches while raising funds and awareness for local animal organization: Dhana Metta Rescue Society.

Proceeds from this pooch friendly holiday celebration will be donated to Dhana Metta Rescue Society to help create a brighter future for abandoned, abused, injured & homeless animals. This group works tirelessly to help find homes for these pets and to provide medical assistance to animals in need, helping to ensure these pets are able to live out their lives in a happy, loving, safe environment that all animals deserve.

This year’s event will feature a professional holiday-themed Santa photo station with thanks to RubyC Photography and a fabulous raffle, goodies to sip and savor, and special gift bags for the first 50 dogs photographed each day. 

We are excited about this 4th annual event which is sure to be a success at Tisol Pet Nutrition & Supply Store ~ 3033 Grandview Highway in Vancouver, B.C.’s leading pet supply company with 9 locations.

Santa Photos will be available at $20 per photo (+ gst).  Dogs are welcome, naturally, but must be under the control of their owner at all times.  The first 50 photos purchased each day will receive a Love on a Leash/Tisol Gift Bag including the latest copy of Modern Dog Magazine, treats and special goodies, with 25 special bags, each day, receiving a $25 gift card redeemable at Season's in the Park or The Teahouse in Stanley Park Restaurants, courtesy of The Sequoia Restaurant Group.

 

Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care Services is Vancouver's premier in-home overnight dog care company and has a history of hosting successful dog-friendly events.  With community support & sponsorship, we are pleased to have helped give back to the pet-loving community by raising and donating much needed funds for animal charities. 

We hope to see Vancouver's enthusiastic dog loving population out to support this 2 day fun-filled, dog friendly "mix and mingle" all for a great cause...dogs!

Contact:

Tammy Preast~Alpha Dog 

Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care Services ~ 778-552-1301 ~ info@loveonaleash.ca

Tisol Pet Supply & Nutrition ~ 604-436-3001 ~ pv7103@petvalu.net

Santa Paws is Coming to Town!

Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care Services is counting down the days until Santa Paws Comes to Town...

Share in the true spirit of Christmas with your pets as they visit Santa and enjoy all the treats of a holiday wonderland.  Bring your pooches out to have their pictures professionally photographed with Santa on his holiday throne, by renowned pet photographer, Ellen Ho, at our dog friendly fundraiser, benefitting Paws for Hope Animal Foundation.

Sip on hot mulled cider & nibble on yummy baked goods, enjoy fabulous raffle prizes, and  amazing gift bags for the first 75 photos taken each day.  Come mix and mingle with your beloved dog...all for a great cause!

Tisol Pet Nutrition & Supply Store, 3033 Grandview Highway location, in Vancouver,  Sat. & Sun., Dec 6th and 7th - 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.  $20.

Workshop Offers Hope for Unwanted Dogs in B.C.

Paws for Hope has announced a unique workshop intended to help reduce the number of dogs surrendered to animal shelters in B.C.

On July 6th, certified professional dog trainer, Shelagh Begg, will address the most common behavioural problems for dog guardians, shelter workers and animal rescue professionals.

Paws for Hope Animal Foundation, a Vancouver-based charity committed to more sustainable companion animal protection in B.C., is sponsoring this second event in their annual speaker series, following on the heels of their successful “Compassion Fatigue Seminar” back in February.

In this workshop Begg will review and address the most common canine behavioural problems in hopes of helping keep more dogs at home and out of B.C.’s overcrowded shelters.

“Unwanted behaviour is one of the top reasons dogs are surrendered to shelters, behaviour that often can be easily corrected with the appropriate information and guidance,” said Kathy Powelson, Executive Director of Paws for Hope. “In our quest to build more sustainable companion animal care and protection in the province and keep as many dogs and their guardians together, we believe it’s important to offer the public and existing animal care workers an affordable course covering the tips and tools they need to understand and help as many dogs as possible.”

The workshop is open to any interested person or team and will be held on Sunday, July 6, 2014 from 1pm to 3pm at Dizine Canine Training Centre, 1730 Vernon Drive, Vancouver. Tickets are $30 each. More information here.

New Year, New Day

2013 was such an amazing year for Love on a Leash and so many of our friends and clients. We wish you the best of luck in the New Year and thank you for your continued support!

One of the highlights of our year came quite near the end when so many of you came out supported the inaugural Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care’s “Santa Paws is Coming to Town” Fundraiser held on December 14th and 15th at Tisol Pet Supply & Nutrition on Grandview Highway in Vancouver. 

The event was created this year specifically to support Paws for Hope and Rescue a Boxer, and to create an enjoyable day out for dog lovers and their beloved dogs! Santa paws is Coming to Town was a huge success with over 150 dogs and two cats coming by for a visit with Santa.

To those who came out, we were thrilled to receive your support for this year’s festive event. The donations given helped ensure an enjoyable afternoon for our guests, providing the opportunity for dog lovers to sip on mulled cider and nibble on delectable baked goodies, to win great raffle prizes, as well as take home generous gift bags and, of course, to help raise much needed funds for Paws for Hope and Rescue a Boxer.

Feedback from our guests was overwhelmingly positive, especially regarding the professional “Off-Leash Photography” Santa Photos taken with a very dog-friendly Santa on his magnificent holiday throne from Can/Am Importique, complete with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree backdrop thanks to Greenscape Design, from the mix’n’mingle mulled cider and holiday baked goodies buffet thanks to Siegel’s Bagels, to the fabulous gift bags courtesy of Tisol, Modern Dog Magazine, the Sequoia Restaurant Group and Love on a Leash Dog Trusted Care Services.

Also,  the winners of the gift baskets generously donated by Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care and Tisol Pet Supply & Nutrition were:

• Romeo the Boxer & Yoshi the Bugg  (Riina Cooke)
• Chewie & Lovey the Boxers   (Jennifer Kaiser)
• Lexi the Rottie Mix  (Karina Franzke)
• Xena the Staffordshire Bull Terrier  (Sukhpaul Parmar)
• SoCo the Toy Australian Shepherd  (Darlene Tam)
• Bear the Bull Mastiff & Puppy the Chihuahua (Jamie Lee family)
• Molly the Border Collie Mix and Tor the Malamute Mix  (Doreen Lang)
• Reid the Doxie  (Laura Lopez)
• Trax the Golden Retriever  (Mandy Hochbaum)
• Ginger the Cockapoo  (Randi Gardner)
• Winston Wilbur & Sam Cooper the Pugs  (Lise Atchley)

To see photos of the winner and the day, see the Santa Paws is Coming to Town event album on our Facebook page.

The entire two days received “two paws up” from all those who attended. The location could not have been more perfect. Thank you for your support of this years’ event. Plans are well underway for further doggy events in 2014 and we hope you will consider supporting us again!

Santa Paws is Coming to Town!

Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care is hosting a dog-friendly fundraiser with net proceeds donated to Paws for Hope and Rescue a Boxer.

The event will take place Saturday and Sunday, Dec 14th and 15th from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Tisol on Grandview Highway.

Renowned pet photographer, Angie Wojciechowska, of Off-Leash Photography will be on hand to capture professional portraits of beloved pets with Santa Claus himself, amid a winter wonderland backdrop, complete with festive holiday décor and a pooch friendly Santa on his throne.

The two days will feature delectable baked goods and mulled cider for the humans and lots of doggy treats and socialization for the pooches while raising funds and awareness for two local animal organizations.

Special gift bags to the first 50 photos each day, a raffle with great prizes to help raise funds, and lots of “mixing and mingling” to get you into the holiday spirit. $20.

The Holidays Aren’t Just For People Anymore! Here’s a Dozen Holiday Traditions to Share with Your Canine Pal

Many of us have favorite holiday traditions we celebrate with our dogs. Dogs are part of our families and many families include their dogs in their holiday festivities. In some cases, their dogs are an integral part of the events.

And if photos with Santa
 is what you’re feeling,
come to our event
mid-December.
It’s for a terrific cause!

We would like to share some holiday traditions with you and even learn about some of your traditions so that we can share with other dog lovers.

Here are some of our favorite holiday traditions to share with dogs:

• Pick Out a Tree Together. There are tree farms that allow you to walk around and tag your tree. How about doing it with your dog? What a wonderful tradition! 
• Holiday Paw-di-cure. How about a holiday pedicure for your pooch? You can be creative and paint the nails alternatively red and green just for fun. 
• Pet Parade. Some towns or pet stores sponsor a dog event -- even a dog parade. Dress up your dog in his favorite bandana or Santa cap and take part. 
• Hang a Dog Stocking. Why not? If you have a stocking -- your dog should too. Many of the dog lovers I know have stockings for each of their dogs. 
• Go See Santa. How about a photo of your dogs or you and your dogs with Santa? This also makes a great holiday card.

     

Here comes Santa Paws, here comes Santa Paws...

Santa Paws is Coming to Town!

Please join us on Saturday and Sunday December 14th & 15th from 11 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for a dog friendly festive fundraiser mix and mingle at Tisol on Grandview Highway, in Vancouver.

We’ll be raising funds for Paws for Hope and Rescue a Boxer so bring your pets and have their photos taken with Santa on his holiday throne, sip mulled cider and nosh on holiday baked goods.

Special gifts for the first 50 photos purchased each day!

Dogs in the Office

Remember casual Friday? Well, that was fun. But this? This is so much better!

The 15th annual Take Your Dog to Work Day happens on June 21st: this coming Friday! A great way to do share your canine pal with your whole crew while easing your conscience about leaving your baby.

And Take Your Dog Work Day has deeper benefits than might at first be apparent. For starters, as the web site tells us, “Take Your Dog To Work Day celebrates Dogs and Promotes Their Adoption.” And, of course, none of that is bad.

Take Your Dog to Work Day was first celebrated in 1999 by Pet Sitters International, one of the professional organizations Love on a Leash is proud to be a member of. It’s always celebrated on the Friday following Father’s Day. The idea behind the event was to celebrate the great companions dogs make
and promote their adoptions. Also, the event encourages employers to experience the joys of pets in the workplace for one day. You can learn more here.

Embrace an Animal in Need

I love everything about this event, from the premise to the possibilities for helping so many animals in need. Most of all, though, I love the name and the concept of giving love (and more!) to those who have been left alone or behind.

With all of that in mind, I'm very much looking forward to attending the Opening Gala for the Embrace a Discarded Animal Society, taking place at the Sheraton Wall Centre on May 11th. Details are in the poster included here (clicking on the poster will make it larger), or click here to order tickets right now!

See you on May 11th!

Annual Easter Fun with Three Dog Bakery

Oh my goodness, but the kids and I love the special seasonal events that Three Dog Bakery hosts. We try to attend whenever we’re in town and our schedules allow. How could we not? There aren’t many outfits who put so much thought and care into organizing events that are big fun for pooches and their parents!

This time out, it’s the annual Easter “Begg” Hunt in Port Moody. We’ve included the entire poster below, because it’s just so cheerful and comprehensive, but plan on being at Suter Brook Village no later than 11:45 as the festivities begin promptly at noon. 

If you’d like more details, call the Port Moody store at 604-469-3647.

Loki’s Christmas Wish: Help for Shelter Pets

As the holidays approach, it’s important to think about how we can help others. It’s never difficult to find worthwhile charities to give to, but I have to admit to having a few favorites, and Loki’s Christmas Wish Fund is one of those.

The Fund was started in 2008 by HugABull director Kristen Neratini, with the aim of brightening the holidays for animals in the shelter system.

The initiative was started in memory of Loki, a puppy neglected and abandoned before coming to HugABull. At five months of age, around Christmas 2005, he was adopted by Kristen and his future looked bright. He excelled at obedience, obtained his Canine Good Neighbour certificate, and Kristen knew she had found her “heart dog.”

Sadly, only three years later, Loki passed away due to health issues. Kristen and her husband decided to mark his too-short life with a donation campaign around the holidays, to help the shelter dogs who don’t find a home around Christmas. Donations are collected and distributed to all dog breeds -- and cats too!

Since 2008, 27 local animal shelters and rescue groups have benefitted from Loki's Christmas Wish and they look forward to seeing that number increase.

Loki’s Christmas Wish is run in partnership with HugABull Advocacy & Rescue Society.

Shelters are always stressful, but around the holidays adoptions are slower, shelters are short-staffed, and cold weather means less exercise and stimulation for the animals. A delivery of food, treats, bedding, and other supplies goes a long way to brightening their days, and the donations are used well into the following year.

Loki’s Christmas Wish Fund welcomes the donation of many items for dogs and cats. A detailed list is on their web site. And, of course, cash donations are always welcome, too.

You and Your Dog at Easter

If you’re looking for a super fun Easter activity that you can share with your dog, here’s a great possibility for those in the Vancouver area: Three Dog Bakery is sponsoring an Easter Begg Hunt at Suter Brook Village in Port Moody. The hunt begins right at noon on Saturday, April 7th so those who wish to participate are being asked to come no later than 11:45 that morning. A modest $5. registration fee will give you and your pooch the chance to sniff out over 2000 dog-appropriate Easter treats. For more information, you can call 604-469-3647.

The View from this New Year

In some ways, 2011 was a fantastic year. In one especially important one, I’m not sure I’ll ever quite recover. There were high points, though. Some of them especially memorable. I was, for instance, very proud of Party With Your Pooch back in September. This event was more than dog friendly: it was dog essential! With canapes and other refreshments for both our human and canine guests, everyone seemed to have a really good time. Notably, we raised money for SAINTS and 1ataTime rescue, all while enjoying ourselves immensely with our canine friends in tow.

We’ve been posting images from Party With Your Pooch as they’ve crossed our desks and though the event was months ago, new photos keep appearing in print. The ones included here, for instance, are from the most recent issue of Vancouver View. They did a great job highlighting the event (look at that paw on the page!) and I’m including them here because it’s such a delight both to see the photos and share them.

Here’s wishing you a strong and healthy 2012. May your treat jar never be empty and may all your ribbons be blue.

Christmas at the Canine Spa

This is going to be such a special event, if you’re at all in the vicinity, you won’t want to miss it. It’s an afternoon of holiday fun for you and your canine companion at WaterWorkz Paw Spa in Burnaby. There will be treats, prizes, draws and even pet photos with Santa. You can read more about the interesting work WaterWorkz is doing here.

Recap: Party With Your Pooch

Love on a Leash Trusted Dog Care hosted their second annual fundraiser, Party with your Pooch: Where the Canines Steal the Catwalk, on Tuesday, September 27th at The Waterfall Building in Vancouver.

Two thousand dollars were donated 1 at a Time Rescue, an organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs on death row in kill shelters across North America.

One of our own pups, Finnigan, shown wearing his dapper tuxedo, was lovingly adopted by us in 2009 at the tender age of 11, thanks to the work of 1 at a Time Rescue.

A huge thank you to our generous sponsors who help ensure the event was a success:

See Ya Later Ranch Winery, bow wow haus, Three Dog Bakery, Barking Babies, RC Pet Products, Woof! Dog Shoppe, Sequioa Restaurant Group, Girl on Wax ~ DJ Leanne, The Paperqueen, Modern Dog Magazine, Cougars Crag Extreme B&B, Aron Pet Chews, Off-Leash Photography & Waterfall Events.

We hope you enjoyed the evening, starting with our pink carpet Paw-parazzi entry featuring the work of Charles Zuckerman, Kiki Brynelson: Photos by Kiki, and Kana from Paws Y Photography to the doggy face cupcakes created just for us by Cupcakes to the bow wow haus spaw. Loads of photos are available for viewing on our Love on a Leash Trusted Dog care Facebook Fan Page.

An extra special thank you to our guests and their delightful pooches: we couldn’t host successful fundraisers without your support and look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Photos, from top left: Organizer Tammy Preast enjoys a successful evening with Finnigan. Bottom left: Vancouver agent and filmmaker, Carrie Wheeler, with her canine pal, Malakai. Top right: Finnigan, looking dapper in his tux. Bottom right: the specially designed doggy face cupcakes by Cupcakes were a hit with everyone.

Enter to Win Free Baseball Tickets for You and Your Dog

While we were excited enough just to hold our tickets for this year’s Dog Day of Summer event at Nat Bailey stadium, (Casey and especially Finnegan just love watching the Vancouver Canadians rip a strip off the ball!) imagine how pleased we were that the nice people at the Canadians offered us some tickets to give away to our friends and clients. The challenge then becomes how to do it. While it turns out there is no shortage of baseball-loving dog owners in our lives, we figured the most fair and awesome way to hand out free tickets would be with a contest. Who doesn’t love a contest, after all?

So here we are. We have the supreme delight of being in the position of giving away six totally free and fun tickets for Dog Day of Summer at Nat Bailey Stadium, August 3. That means, if you win, you and your dog can have a great evening of fun and baseball.

To enter, all you have to do is Like the Love on a Leash Facebook page (which is easy. After all, what’s not to like?) and leave us a comment about why you’d like/appreciate or even dream about being one of our lucky winners.

The draw is July 27th: just a week away so, clearly, the odds of winning are certainly better than the lottery. (And nearly as cool!)

You can Like our Facebook page here.

Pets Will Rock BC’s Biggest Party

Pet Connection, BC’s only local pets magazine, will be front and center for 17 days and nights at the province’s biggest party August 20 until September 5th. Look for Pet Connection near the ever-popular Super Dogs.

Pet Connection is “published six times a year and available at select locations. The Pet Connection is BC's only printed source of local information for the many pet lovers in the province.”

When you see them at this year’s PNE, pick up your copy of them magazine while telling the nice folks in the book that Love on a Leash says “hi.”

Pet Connection can be seen online here. See what PNE 2011 has in store here.

They Go Together Like… Dogs and Baseball?

On Wednesday, August 3 at 7 pm you and your canine pal are invited to attend Dog Day of Summer hosted by the Vancouver Candians at Nat Bailey Stadium.

Bring your dog out to the ballgame for “a great night when all dogs are allowed in with their owners.” Organizers let us know that, last year 400 canine pals showed up with their owners: many of them wearing jerseys, t-shirts and bandanas supporting their favorite teams.

The stadium will provide special watering stations and treats. (For beer and hot dogs, you’re on your own!) It sounds like a super fun night!

The gates open at 6pm, first pitch is at 7:05.

You can see more about Canadians baseball at Nat Bailey here.

Turn on the Waterworkz for Canine Wellness

Everyone is invited to a pet nutrition and supplement discussion with Dr. Sue Pollen this coming Saturday. The event is being held at WaterWorkz Paw Spa in Burnaby from 12 to 1 PM. The nice folks at Waterworkz are keen to let people know that there will be a discussion of incredibly useful pet information every Saturday in July and August. “These discussions are as free as the sunshine,” Waterworkz tells us, “and just as likely to make you grow.”

The first discussion will be around nutrition, “because that’s the single most important thing we do for our pets,” says Waterworkz. “Bring your pet’s food and we’ll look at the ingredients. Bring your pet’s supplements and we’ll discuss what makes one better than another. We will also discuss what to take on a trip to make it safe for your pet.”

Over the coming weeks, Waterworkz will tackle such issues as cruising and traveling with your pet; swimming dogs, including the benefits of warm salt water; the Tellington Touch with Catherine Stewart; how to tell if your pet is really sick and other timely topics.

For more details, visit WaterWorkzPawSpa.com or just join them on the day at 3831 Still Creek Ave, Burnaby BC.